March 24, 2010

Next time you see a "new guy" walking around the office, you might want to introduce yourself. You might also want to check to make sure "new guy" is actually an employee, and not, for example, a burglar who is helping himself to a bunch of laptops while "disguised" in khakis and a dress shirt.

Police in Tampa said that a man wearing "business casual" attire was never questioned by anyone during an 18-hour burglary spree in an office building at 2002 North Lois in western Tampa. The man arrived about noon on March 1st and went from office to office taking laptops and other items, which he put in a large gym bag he was carrying. There are several businesses at that address, which is an eight-story building known as Westwood Center. The report did not say whether the man was loyal to one business or whether he temporarily joined several, but nobody remembered seeing him at all, even when shown pictures from security cameras that the man did not bother to avoid.

"We talked with the HR people, the managers, showed them the pictures," said Officer Harry Augello. "[They all said] 'I have no idea who this is . . . . 'I've never seen him before,' That's what I find bizarre."

Presumably some people saw him on two consecutive days, because he stayed overnight, sleeping in one of the offices and probably making use of supplies he brought with him. "He's carrying a gym bag, an overnight bag," said Officer Augello. "Had his jammies and dinner [in there], probably." And after catching up on his sleep, the man went back to stealing. It wasn't clear whether he had brought a change of clothes or not - I think people would question me if I wore the same thing two days in a row, instead of alternating every three - but either way, no one questioned him.

If he didn't have a change of clothes, he has one now -- he also helped himself to a business suit that someone had left hanging in their office, so he will be even more professional-looking when he robs his next target.

I think maybe the guy whose suit got stolen should put out an APB for it, so that people will know what to look for.